“UCHIHA!!!”
The ninja coming straight at me is screaming my name with an obvious killing intent. Not that I’m surprised. He summons a mace-like weapon halfway. Here it comes.
“I’m gonna kill you Uchiha! Aargh!”
It’s useless. Too slow. I had him in a wristlock the second he got close. He struggles underneath my foot while I hold down my sword against his neck. Now for the others.
I caught the end of their conversation. Danzo’s dead and Kakashi’s the new Hokage. The news lifts up my hope a little. But I have to keep on the defensive as long as they are all threatened by my presence.
I scan the faces of the ninjas lined up a little farther in front of me. Looks like all the clan heads are here along with some very strong jounins I recognize. I see two byakugan users present. And of course, two of the legendary Sannin. This makes it a fool’s errand on my part. If they all gang up on me, I’m dead for sure. So I keep my back against the wall to keep from being surrounded.
It’s a stroke of luck that this ninja struggling under my grasp can serve as my hostage. At least I know they won’t make a move as long as I have this one. Hostages are useless for people like those in Akatsuki. They don’t care who dies so nothing gets in their way. It’s not the case for those who have ties.
Kakashi had signaled to the others not to make a move and now he’s coming forward.
“Uchiha Itachi, right?” he asks slowly. I stare at him, my sharingan on the ready. It’s been eight years. I guess I’ve matured some.
“Kotetsu’s best friend was killed during the coup,” he explains, obviously referring to my hostage.
“A lot of people got killed during the coup,” I say. “If their friends are as emotional and reckless as this one, Konoha is doomed.”
Kakashi seems to be analyzing me. The others behind him are doing the same. I’m aware that none of them are to be taken lightly.
“It’s very impressive how you managed to get passed the Anbu security,” Kakashi finally says.
“I’ve had a lot of practice,” I reply.
“He did escape Konoha Dungeons before,” one of the Sannin, Jiraiya says.
“That was different,” I say. “Sarutobi-sama set it up.”
“Sarutobi?” Jiraiya asks with surprise. Everyone has the same reaction to what I just revealed.
“He loosened security so I can escape to join an enemy as a Konoha spy,” I elaborate.
“Who do you think you’re fooling? You’re an Uchiha,” this Kotetsu barks as he tries to break free from my hold. I’m perfectly aware that my claim is hard to believe.
Kakashi raises a palm as if to calm him down. “He didn’t join the coup,” he declares.
This surprises me. But I should not relax my guard yet. He may just be saying that on account of my having a hostage.
“How do you know?” the head of the Hyuuga Clan asks.
“At that time, he blocked his clansman’s attack against me then he asked me where his father was,” Kakashi explains then he looks at me and adds, “Remember?”
I do remember now but only vaguely. I had totally forgotten about it. So much had happened that day.
“You were trying to stop your father, weren’t you?” he adds.
“But Sarutobi confirmed he was one of the conspirators,” Akimichi Chouza says.
“I waited, Itachi,” Kakashi says to me. Waited?
“I was convinced you were not part of the coup so I went to Sarutobi and the elders the night before you escaped,” he relates. “They insisted that you were, but there was something amiss about it all so I spoke to Sarutobi privately when I got the chance. That was a few days after you were already gone.”
Could it be that Sarutobi told him everything?
“So you’re saying he really is a Konoha spy?” the other Sannin member Tsunade asks.
Kakashi nods while keeping his eyes on me.
“Why didn’t you tell us,” a ninja I don’t know asks him.
“The more people know about it, the more risky it will be for Itachi, that’s what Sarutobi said to me,” Kakashi reveals. “I believe he was compelled to tell me because I was the one who directly approached him.”
They’re all looking at me now with mixed expressions. I’m struggling with mixed feelings as well.
“I waited,” Kakashi says again. “Whenever I’m out on missions, I tried to get leads as to your whereabouts but couldn’t find any. I figured you would show yourself when you feel it’s time.”
“Why did you come only now?” the head of the Yamanaka Clan asks me.
“Sarutobi-sama died. He was my only connection. I didn’t know who else to trust,” I reply honestly.
“Will you trust us?” Kakashi asks.
It’s a hard question for me, having trusted no one all these years. But I came here expecting a worse reception. Danzo is dead making my task a little easier. And now I realize Kakashi did actually understand my position that day. I scan their faces again, remembering how honorable they’ve always seemed to me from when I was still a young ninja. Perhaps I can finally let down my guard. I look down on Kotetsu, considering if I should let him go. Then I look up at Kakashi.
“Kotetsu,” Kakashi begins. “Itachi is an ally. Will you spare him your grudge?”
Kotetsu was silent for a moment then I felt his stiffness loosen. I release my hold. He stands up and looks me straight. I let my sharingan dissolve from my eyes. He walks back to the line with the others.
I take a seat at the conference table to where they led me to. Everyone else does the same.
“What did you mean when you said we can’t prevent a Shinobi War?” Kakashi asks.
“The organization I’m a part of, the Akatsuki, you’ve heard of it I assume.”
“It’s that mercenary group that has been gaining influence everywhere,” Jiraiya replies. “So that’s what you infiltrated.”
“They’re not just a mercenary group,” I say. “They are determined to take over the world and by the way things are going, they’ll succeed.”
Jiraiya, along with other older faces, doesn’t seem to be surprised at this. “It’s obvious they have a reason for gathering jinchuurikis,” he says. “Do they really have the ability to harness their power?”
“Yes,” I reply. “By tonight, they should have eight.”
“What? Eight jinchuurikis?” the jounin Kurenai says in surprise. “You mean they even have the eight-tails?”
“At this very moment, Akatsuki is invading Kumogakure,” I tell them. “No village stands a chance if all members of Akatsuki attack all at once. Kumogakure has a strong Raikage and a jinchuuriki that supposedly has complete control of the eight-tails. Akatsuki usually sends out teams of two but this time, they all went there together. They’re taking no chances at this point. It just means they’re getting close to their goal.”
Worry lines everyone’s face. I can’t blame them. But I did not come just to be the bearer of bad news.
“I’m supposed to spy on the location of your jinchuuriki,” I continue. “I saw it as a chance to warn you though I wasn’t sure how to do it. I chanced upon your meeting tonight and found out Danzo’s dead. It gave me some confidence. So now I’m telling you, you must form an allied force with other nations as soon as possible.”
“That’s easier said than done,” a man I know now as Ebisu says. “We’ve been at odds with the other villages since the Uchiha Coup and it has gotten worse during Danzo’s term.” I note that he checked himself at the mention of the coup. I nod to show him that I don’t take it personally.
“This is not the time to fight against other countries,” I stress. “They will all be affected by what’s to come whether they like it not. The animosity is the very reason the Akatsuki has gained ground. It is why they can boldly invade Kumogakure. They know each village is standing on its own without any allies.”
They all nod in agreement to what I said. These ninjas before me are more open-minded than I expected. It makes me wish I came back earlier.
“Send a messenger to the kages, offer a peace treaty, do whatever it takes,” I plead.
“Is the Akatsuki really that powerful?” Chouza asks.
“Their next destination is Konoha,” I say. “They will be led by someone known as Pein. You have to believe me, the only thing you’ve got going for you is this advance warning. If they invade, it will be far worse than the coup.”
“We have another problem,” a young shinobi they call Shikamaru says. “it seems the remnants of the Uchiha Clan have resurfaced. Their target will surely be Konoha as well.”
“I know,” I say. “I’ve heard about Orochimaru’s death though the details are unclear.”
“Tenzou, what is it?” Kakashi asks as an Anbu appears before us.
“The prisoner is ready to talk, senpai,” he informs. This Anbu doesn’t know he’s addressing the new Hokage.
“Well then,” Kakashi says as he faces me. “I guess we will learn more about the details.”
We leave the Clan Heads and the jounins in the conference hall to discuss the problems at hand and to come up with an initial defense plan. Tenzou leads Kakashi and I to the interrogation facility and find the man I remember as Morino Ibiki standing at the entrance.
“Her name is Karin. You can ask her what you want,” he says as he opens the door.
“As expected of Ibiki-san,” Tenzou says. “I knew physical torture wouldn’t get us anywhere.”
We enter a narrow windowless room and found a woman seated in the middle. There’s a small square table in front of her with empty bowls stacked on top.
“Ibiki, keep the katsudon coming,” she shouts as she continues to swallow mouthfuls of fried pork.
“Karin-san,” Kakashi begins. “Is it true that the Uchihas killed Orochimaru?”
“Uh-huh,” she mutters casually with her mouth full. Her eyeglasses are slightly tilted on the bridge of her nose. Her face and arms have pelt marks that were apparently caused by physical torture, though it looks like they’ve already begun to heal. She strikes me as a tough woman to have this carefree attitude in front of her captors. I’ll let Kakashi handle all the questions.
“Do you know where they are?” he asks.
“How should I know? And it’s just a one.”
“One what?”
“One Uchiha. Orochimaru took him in some years ago to train him. I think it was a deal they made, y’know? Orochimaru needed a new body to take over and the head of the Uchihas offered up this kid in exchange for aid to attack Konoha. Well something like that.”
I count three empty bowls; the one she just finished makes the fourth. Another one is served at once. This makes her happy and puts her in the mood to talk more.
“They thought I couldn’t figure it out. But the last time he came to my dungeon, he ordered a deathmatch and took away the survivor. When I saw Orochimaru again, he looked like the guy so I knew he’s been taking over new bodies. Even if they didn’t tell me anything, I -”
Kakashi and I exchange looks. We don’t need to hear what we already know about Orochimaru and his quest for immortality.
“Karin,” Kakashi cuts in. “This boy…”
“Oh yeah,” Karin says finally getting stirred to the right direction. Suddenly, she looks me over and says, “Now that I think about it, he kinda looks like a younger version of you.”
I freeze. It can’t be. Not Sasuke.
“Yeah, definitely a younger version but he looked like he had a little more sleep than you.”
“Sasuke,” I blurt out.
“Ah yeah! Sasuke, that’s his name. He’s a real cutie,” Karin says almost too cheerfully. “But dark, y’know? Definitely dark. I took one look at him and knew immediately that boy is pure evil.”
No. Sasuke. The only memory I have of my brother is the cheerful boy of nine. Father you really are a fool. What have you done?
Aside from the identity of Orochimaru’s murderer, the only valuable information we got from Karin is that Kabuto visited her facility after his master’s death. During the invasion of Konoha, it was already revealed that Kabuto was Orochimaru’s loyal assistant. Now that we know he’s still alive, he certainly poses as an additional threat.
Kakashi said he needed to show me something at the mortuary so we left Karin under Ibiki’s care. He was ordered to extract info that could possibly lead us to Kabuto.
On the way, I told Kakashi that Orochimaru used to be a member of Akatsuki. I also told him about Tobi and explained the details of the Eye of the Moon Plan, at least, from what Tobi trusted me with. I don’t think he divulged everything to any of us in Akatsuki. Kakashi absorbed all the information calmly. Even though the future seems dark to me, I somehow feel at ease that this man is Hokage.
Inside the mortuary, I scan over Danzo’s body as it is rolled out from a freezer storage. My first thought is poetic justice. He trusted his Root Anbu more than anyone. Shisui trusted him. What an ironic end.
“When we found Danzo, his head was bashed in,” Kakashi informs me. “We later discovered that a sharingan was implanted in his right eye.”
“Yes, it’s Shisui’s sharingan.”
“Uchiha Shisui?”
“Shisui went to him to try and broker peace for the Uchihas but was betrayed. Danzo attacked him with Tobi’s help. Shisui escaped but only after one eye had already been extracted.”
“I see. I’ve always wondered why his head was bandaged,” he muses. “So Danzo was in league with Tobi?”
“They did not get in touch since as far as I know. I remember Shisui said Tobi would be back for the Sharingan but I think Danzo may have gotten comfortable with having it in possession. Then he became hokage and gained even more confidence to break whatever ties he had with Tobi.”
Kakashi points to the location of the stolen eye. “As you can see, the sharingan is severely damaged,” he says.
“It’s what Shisui would have preferred,” I say almost to myself.
My thoughts turn to my old friend. This is not at all how he would’ve wanted things to turn out. A peaceful Konoha, that was his dream. I was determined to make it come true. Somewhere along the way, doubt and confusion ruled over me.
I remember that single leaf that I witnessed falling on Naka River long ago, the one that got swept by the tide up north. I was like that leaf. I let myself be swept away without knowing my destination. I stayed on that aimless course for too long. And now, Konoha’s future is bleaker than I could ever imagine.
“Itachi, it’s a good thing you came at this time,” Kakashi tells me, rousing me from my contemplation.
“If I only knew there were people I could trust, I would have come sooner.”
“It can’t be helped. I myself should’ve acted faster that time.”
We stay quiet for a brief moment, our eyes fixed on Danzo’s corpse. It’s amazing what damage can result from one man’s good intentions if driven by a misguided set of principles. He was no different from my father, obsessed with control, consumed by the belief that they can decide people’s lives so easily, and holding on to the delusion that they’re acting for the greater good. Now we who are left behind have to struggle to avert further disaster caused by such inconsiderate minds.
“Listen,” I finally break the silence. “I can brief you about each Akatsuki member and it will be up to you to assign ninjas who can take them on.”
“That will be very helpful. We can discuss it with Shikamaru later. He’s our best strategist.”
I know Kakashi is aware of the difficult odds we are facing but I feel I need to make it even clearer.
“Kakashi-san, the thing is one of them is practically immortal. Another one has five replaceable lives so he’s just as hard to kill. But the leader, Pein, is even more difficult to figure out. Now that you have two Sannin members with you, it might help but I’m not sure.”
“How strong is this Pein?”
“I’ve been to the Village of Rain where he’s based. But no one knows just how powerful he is except, possibly, Tobi.”
“Will you go back to Akatsuki?”
“No. Now that we’ve established contact, I think I’ll stay here and do what I can to help. Anyway, I believe Tobi left me out from invading Kumogakure because he was beginning to doubt me. ”
“Why then would he allow you to come here?”
“I don’t think he sees me as a threat now. He’s confident enough that whatever you learn from me won’t avert anything. I’m afraid of the same thing.”
“Don’t lose hope just yet. Konoha’s still intact.”
“I know and I haven’t lost hope. It’s just that I fear my clan might attack at the same time. You really must get some help from other villages. And you must protect your jinchuriki to prevent the Eye of the Moon.”
“Naruto’s not as helpless as you think.”
Aah yes, Naruto. That was his name. He used to go to school with Sasuke.
Sasuke…
“Kakashi-san, if they strike all at once, you must fight Akatsuki. I’ll handle my clan.”
“You don’t have to face them alone.”
“I know. But you must concentrate your forces on the Akatsuki. If you can spare some ninjas to fight with me, it will help. Maybe around five from the Hyuuga Clan. At least their bloodline limit will enable them to fight at par against the Sharingan.”
“We might have something better. Come with me.”
The mortuary is located underground. Kakashi leads me above it where Konoha’s Research Hall is located. On the way, he relates something very disturbing.
“The Anbu that killed Danzo bludgeoned his body but his arm was unharmed because of metal seal braces that protected it. There were scar tissues just where the arm was attached to his shoulder. It’s like it wasn’t originally his. In the arm we found ten sharingan eyes.”
So that’s what happened. Danzo gathered the sharingan of Uchihas killed during the coup and used Shisui’s arm to preserve them.
We enter a room that looks like a hospital ward with hospital beds lined up in two rows. On ten of the beds, ten ninjas are recuperating. Their heads are bandaged concealing each of their left eyes.
“As you might have figured out,” Kakashi says. “I won’t be the only non-Uchiha Sharingan-user anymore.”
“So the sharingan from Danzo’s arm have been transplanted on these ten ninjas.”
“We couldn’t let those eyes go to waste given the circumstances,” Kakashi says. “But since you’re here, I’d like to formally ask your permission.”
“You don’t have to. I think this is the best way. It might even the odds a little.”
Two days pass by quickly. I set to train the ten ninjas to use their Sharingan. I previously met with young Shikamaru and briefed him on the Akatsuki members’ abilities. He’s now formulating a defense strategy. Tsunade gathered a score of ninjas and is now conducting a crash course on medical jutsu.
Regular Anbu ninjas are helping Root ninjas to assimilate under the new Hokage’s leadership. The clan heads have assembled their members and assigned responsibilities as they see fit. Genins have begun preparing villagers for immediate evacuation while Chuunins have been assigned to different duties from handling supplies to practicing battle formations.
Everyone is doing his part. Yes, this is the Konoha I remember.
This morning, just before Jiraiya took Naruto to Mount Myōboku for an emergency training with the toads, I got to meet the young jinchuuriki for the first time. He seemed like a cheerful kid, pretty much how I had hoped Sasuke would grow up to be. It’s a very impressive trait, considering how jinchuurikis normally turn out.
There was fierce determination in his eyes but above all, a positive outlook and an obvious love for Konoha. He had a tinge of naiveté and yet the Will of Fire, which I once heard Sarutobi describe with passion, is definitely alive in him.
“Hey Ero-sennin,” he called as he ran to us. “Everyone’s getting ready to fight. Where are you dragging me off to again?”
Jiraiya was just talking about him with Kakashi and I when he arrived. The casualness by which he addressed his master was interesting.
“Stop complaining. You should be grateful you’re getting special training from me at this time,” was the equally casual reply. The boy gave him a sour face. They were like brothers with a very wide age gap.
Jiraiya told us that Naruto still lacked something. Kakashi later explained that it had something to do with the absence of a challenge that could come from having a rival. At first, I couldn’t relate. Then I remembered that while Shisui was my best friend, he also acted as my standard.
As far as being a ninja was concerned, I considered defeating Shisui in a match one of my main goals. Maybe that was it. I wonder how it would have been if Sasuke was here. Would he have become a good enough rival for Naruto?
I tried hard not to picture my brother how Karin described him.
“The boy is pure evil.”
I hope she’s wrong.
Kakashi and I watch as Jiraiya and Naruto leave. We still have our eyes on them when he says to me, “everyone more or less knows what he has to do.”
“I just hope we have enough time,” I say. He acknowledges with a nod.
Just a few days. That’s all we need. A week, if possible. Any longer will be too much to expect.
“Hokage-sama.” an Anbu appears before us and presents three message scrolls. “We just received these.”
Kakashi breathes a sigh behind his mask as he reads the scrolls one at a time.
“The Mizukage, the Tsuchikage and the Kazekage accept the offer of a peace treaty but they all refuse an alliance,” he tells me.
Fools. If Konoha falls, their villages will be next. But then Danzo had sown enough seeds of distrust which leaves us to expect nothing less than this.
“And Kumogakure?” Kakashi asks the Anbu.
“It’s as we feared,” the Anbu replies. “Their jinchuriiki has been captured. The Raikage is alive but badly injured. His disposition is pure hate at this point. He ordered his men to attack our messenger. He barely escaped.”
Kakashi acknowledges the last piece of news and the Anbu disappears.
“Well then,” he begins, trying his best to sound unperturbed in my presence. I don’t envy his position at all. “I will send another appeal to the kages and ask for a meeting so I can explain in fuller detail the threats we are all facing. But for now, it looks like we’re alone.”
I mentally calculate the odds between our preparation and the enemies’ appearance. The extraction of the eight-tails should take a few days. It should buy us some time against the Akatsuki. As for the Uchihas, it’s hard to tell.
Fighting alone still seems like suicide but we don’t have any choice at this point except to fight anyway when the time comes.
It’s been four days since my gambled appearance in Konoha. Kakashi comes by my training ground occasionally to help with the ten ninjas. I think he’s better fit to teach them how to maximize the use of one-eyed sharingan.
“Concentrate!” I command the two ninjas that have been lagging behind. This is more difficult than I remember. The last time I helped with someone else’s training was when Sasuke practiced with kunais. It’s like from another world altogether.
An hour of training pass and I spot Kakashi walking toward me. Good. These ninjas can use more tips from him. “Yo!” He greets me. He’s probably the most un-kage-like of all the kages here in Konoha and outside.
Apart from Danzo’s funeral, Kakashi postponed formal ceremonies including that of his appointment to give priority to the war preparations. Up to this time, he still refuses to wear his kage hat and cloak. “I don’t think I’ll get used to wearing those,” he said.
He proceeds immediately to checking the progress of the sharingan users. I watch him from the sidelines. A moment later, we hear a ninja call from a distance. There is urgency in his voice.
“Hokage-sama!” It’s one of the ninjas assigned to patrol Konoha’s borders from the northeast, a member of the Hyuuga Clan. “We’ve spotted something suspicious in the sky. It’s coming toward Konoha.”
My immediate suspicion is Akatsuki. They shouldn’t be done with the extraction yet. But if they’re coming from the northeast, then it’s from the direction of Kumogakure. It may mean they postponed the extraction and decided to attack Konoha first. Dammit, too early. We’re not ready. Or else, maybe it’s a messenger from Kumogakure. I hope against hope.
Suddenly, we hear a shrieking laugh coming from the middle of the training ground.
“Eeeyahahahaha!” A figure emerges from the soil; his mud green hair caps his head and provides the only color to his otherwise all-white body. Zetsu! His white half.
“Itachi-kun, you’ve been a bad boy, haven’t you?” Zetsu says, his sharp teeth visible from his wide evil grin. “Guess who’s coming!” he says in a sing-song then he sinks back to the ground and disappears.
In the sky about 500 meters away, we spot a white creature flying forward and fast. In just seconds, it’s already above us. Suddenly, multiple white objects get released from above its wings.
“What are those?” the ninjas with me ask as the small substances drop halfway down on us.
“Clay bombs!” I shout. “Brace yourselves. It’s Deidara!”
To be continued